Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete has won admiration for his powerful and passionate speech at the 72nd Session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Minister for Health and Medical Services delivered Fiji’s national statement in style.

Instead of the traditional speech from the podium, he spoke from the floor with microphone in his hand and kept moving and making gestures.

Many of the delegates were impressed with his presentation.

Dr Waqainabete called on the WHO to consider the challenges of Small Island Developing countries in their pursuit for universal health coverage and said that countries such as Fiji remained burdened with substantial limitations, which could be addressed through partnership and collaboration.

“Why is that 70 to 80 per cent of the world have no access to that type of operations, to that surgical service, to those competence, to the facilities that are needed? and today I stand on behalf of the Small Island Developing States, I stand on behalf of the Africans and the Carribeans and I call to all the donors, WHO and all supporters and I say, Support Safe Surgery,” he said.

The Minister for Health reiterated the existential threat of climate change and its effects on health,  the high cost of medicines,  vaccines and equipment with due consideration to economies of scale,  Non Communicable and Communicable Diseases, human resource for health limitations (HRH) and  lack of internship opportunities that could have broadened the scope of health workers.

He called on development partners to support efforts towards human resource for health, strategic financing and the strengthening of emergency response capabilities.

Dr Waqainabete delivered the Commonwealth Statement on behalf of the 53 Member Countries in addition to Fiji’s national statement at the Assembly.

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